THE ELECTROLYTIC BATTERY. Keshav Kohli. The primary aim of this dossier is to formulate an analysis of battery power through the controlled exploration of reduction-oxidation reactions produced by various anode and cathode metals in a salt water electrolyte. This analysis strives to produce an apposite explanation for the generation of electric current, building from the basic principles of the saltwater battery—specifically the process of ion and electron transfer through an electrolytic solution—to achieve an extensive understanding of electromotive force. Subsequent to in-lab procedures which collected both volt and amp recordings from electrolytic batteries, further calculation revealed this trend: increased variance between electronegativity values of oppositely charged terminal electrodes yields larger power in watts. This assertion, however, proved false for batteries containing the lead electrode—an occurrence which can be strongly reinforced by contents of the reactivity series. Therefore, it is prudent to assume that the electronegativity values of electrode terminals do partially affect the production of electromotive force in electrolytic batteries; however, several examined batteries support the proposition that other factors additionally influence the generation of electric potential energy. With the further study of anode and cathode metals in a salt water electrolyte, the exact correlation between electronegativity and electromotive force can be determined.
Key Words: electromotive force, electrolytic cell, electronegativity, reactivity series, battery power
Key Words: electromotive force, electrolytic cell, electronegativity, reactivity series, battery power
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